Thanks Jon - now that you mention it I have seen the field before - the
"penny never quite dropped" though.
Thanks for that.
I suggested it to Garmin several years ago and got a "thank you for
contacting garmin - thank you for your suggestion - many improvements come
about because of people like you etc" response - then when the 296 came out
I suggested it again - and got the exact same eMail.
Trying to get any action out of Garmin is like mating elephants 
Cheers,
CC
"Jon Woellhaf"  wrote in message
...
 Hi, CC.
 I thought I may have confused you.
 The field to which I'm referring isn't on the page accessed by pushing the
 NRST button.
 It's on what Garmin calls the "Position Data Page." In Aviation mode,
that's
 the one you reach from the Map page by pressing Quit once. The field in
 question only appears when this page is configured for "2 Columns
(Small)."
 In this configuration, the ten fields on the right-hand half of the page
are
 changed in the usual manner. The left-hand half of the screen has four
 fixed-type data fields. The bottom one is the "Nearest" field we're
talking
 about. Push Menu and select Change Nearest Type to configure this field as
I
 described.
 Regards,
 Jon
 "Cockpit Colin"  wrote in message
 ...
  Ummm ...
 
  Having checked it out my 296 on the NRST screen shows bearing and
distance
  TO (not from).
 
  Are we talking about the same function here, or are you looking in a
  different area?
 
  Thanks
 
  CC
 
 
 
  "Cockpit Colin"  wrote in message
  ...
  Gawd Dang - and I've got a 296 as well!
 
  Thanks for the heads up - I'll have to check it out. To be honest, I
very
  seldom use the 'nearest' function - I mostly just configue the first
page
  with timers / gps state - the 2nd with enroute infor - and the 3rd for
  approach related stuff. Would still be nice to be able to have
something
  like a BGF (BearingG From) field though.
 
  Cheers,
 
  CC
 
 
  "Jon Woellhaf"  wrote in message
  ...
   "Cockpit Colin" wrote, "... what I would really LOVE to see is a GPS
   selectable field that gives me a bearing FROM a reference, instead of
   TO
   one."
  
   The Garmin GPSMAP 296 does that -- at least for the nearest airport,
  VOR,
   NDB, Intersection,City, or Waypoint (your choice). I have mine set to
   nearest VOR. Right now, for example, it says "From Jeffco VOR (BJC):
   8.9
  nm
   S 162°m." This makes it a snap to report position.
  
   Jon